[sitetest]

Dear sinkspur,

"O'Malley's shown good judgment so far, so you should trust his instincts."

I think that in this case, Archbishop O'Malley wished not to start a war at the moment of his installation. I understand that wish, on his part. I think that he likely told himself something like, "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."

Usually, that's true. And this instinct will serve him well for the most part.

But here, I can see no justification for not taking the hard line. Frankly, if he'd have told Comrade Kerry privately that he would be refused Holy Communion if he approached, I'd be willing to be that Kerry would have backed down. And privately seethed. And maybe in that private seething, in that upsetting of the equilibrium of sin, maybe a bit of God's grace might have burst through. Who knows. You never know.

* * * * *

Ask yourself this question: Herr Hitler was baptized a Catholic, and I assume he made his First Holy Communion. If, in order to try to appease the Catholic part of the German constituency, he'd have made a point of attending Mass during the worst of the war, and approached the Blessed Sacrament, would you think it proper to have permitted him to receive?


sitetest

[sinkspur]

If, in order to try to appease the Catholic part of the German constituency, he'd have made a point of attending Mass during the worst of the war, and approached the Blessed Sacrament, would you think it proper to have permitted him to receive?

Were the German bishops caught up in Hitler's madness? If they were, it's likely they saw nothing wrong in his designs and would gladly have given him the Eucharist.

Hitler's a bad example, as we have the benefit of hindsight.

I know what you're trying to say. O'Malley will likely approach Kerry privately.